Saudi miner flags massive gold and mineral potential in Najran

Saudi Arabia’s push to turn mining into a pillar of its post-oil economy got a major boost this week after a leading local operator reported the discovery of around 11 million tonnes of high-potential mineral resources in the kingdom’s southwest.

Almasane Alkobra Mining Company, one of Saudi Arabia’s flagship mining firms, said the resources were identified within one of its exploration licenses in the Najran region. 

The find includes gold, copper, zinc, and silver—four of the most commercially strategic metals in the global energy, defense, and manufacturing supply chains.

The company began exploration shortly after securing the licence last year and launched an intensive drilling campaign in February. 

So far, more than 27,000 meters have been drilled, yet that still covers less than 10 percent of the licensed area. Early results suggest the resource base could ultimately approach 20 million tonnes, according to company leadership.

That scale matters. Gold remains a critical financial hedge asset, while copper and zinc are central to everything from power grids and electric vehicles to construction and defense manufacturing. Silver plays a growing role in electronics, solar technology, and precision engineering.

Vision 2030 in Action

The discovery fits neatly into Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 plan, which aims to reduce reliance on oil by building globally competitive sectors in mining, logistics, industry, and advanced manufacturing. 

The kingdom has identified mining as a core strategic industry, with billions already flowing into infrastructure, licensing, and international partnerships.

Executives said the discovery supports long-term investment plans and ensures operational sustainability well into the future. Only a fraction of the exploration zone has been examined, and expansion of both production capacity and factory operations is already being prepared.

The exploration site also sits about 100 kilometers from the company’s existing processing complex,close enough to allow efficient integration, shared infrastructure, and lower development costs once full production begins.

A Strategic Resource Play

The timing is notable. Globally, mining companies are struggling with rising costs, regulatory pressure, and unstable commodity markets. Saudi Arabia, by contrast, is accelerating—using state backing, long-term capital, and regulatory speed to carve out a stronger role in global resource supply chains.

That has broader strategic implications. As competition over critical minerals intensifies between major powers, Saudi Arabia is quietly positioning itself as a reliable, large-scale supplier of strategic metals, not just an energy superpower.

Alongside the new discovery, the company also secured a 10-year gold exploitation licence at a separate site in Najran. The licence spans nearly 10 square kilometers and allows for full-scale gold extraction. The move strengthens Saudi Arabia’s case as one of the fastest-growing mining hubs in the Middle East.

Further geophysical surveys and drilling campaigns are planned through 2026, with a formal international-standard mineral resources report expected in the second half of next year. Studies are also underway to convert the exploration licence into a full mining licence.

Founded in 2008 and publicly listed, the company is now firmly positioned at the center of Saudi Arabia’s rapidly expanding mining sector.

This isn’t just a corporate discovery, it’s another step in Saudi Arabia’s transformation into a serious global mining and strategic minerals power.